


After the end

by rushsykes



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bunker Ending (Far Cry), M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-24 08:56:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21335593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rushsykes/pseuds/rushsykes
Summary: What if car crash never happened?
Relationships: Male Deputy | Judge/Joseph Seed
Comments: 2
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

Pratt keeps mumbling to himself even after the door snaps closed behind them. They stare at each other, shocked at what just happened, the reality of the situation just beginning to set in. Joseph still humming that damn tune under his breath, looking pleased with himself. He was right, after all. Rook wants to slap him and Pratt both, snap them back to the present, which looks more horrifying by the second.

Dutch comes out to greet them, looking a bit shell-shocked himself, not a look Rook used to see on his face. “Did you just saw this shit?” Asks he no one in particular, looking like he wants them to tell him he's just tripping on the Bliss and everything is fine. He takes a double take when he notices Joseph and frowns. "Why the hell you dragged him here?" Dutch doesn’t sound pleased, looking at them like complete idiots, which is probably not too far from the truth.

They didn't had a chance to think before making the decision. What are they supposed to do with a criminal when they don't even have prisons anymore? Just execute him? Didn't feel right to do it like that, in cold blood. He wouldn't mourned Joseph if he got shot during their fight, but he wouldn't be able to pull the trigger now, when he stood before him with the cuffs on his wrists.

The doors behind them are sealed and it's not like they could just throw him out to survive in the madness outside. Do they have to keep him prisoner until they could leave? And then what? Just let him go? Rook's so damn tired of things always going wrong lately.

Deep in his own thoughts, he misses what sheriff says to Dutch, staring at the man who ruined his life, Joseph keeps watching him, like Rook is the only one person in the room and it unnerves him.

"Rook, take Pratt and get him to calm down," says the sheriff, nodding to his deputy, who crouches in the corner, praying. Rook nods and drags him deeper in the bunker, to the room with some bunk beds he saw when he was here before. Pratt doesn't argue, just keeps mumbling to himself, he hasn't been the same since he found him at the Jacob's bunker and Rook can't really blame him, his own brain was scrambled enough after just a few meetings with the man. They don't have therapists anymore, though, and Pratt will have to figure out how to deal with it on his own, just like all of them. Rook had a few psychology classes at the college, but he had no idea what to do with the man who's been through so much. He tries to talk to him, but Pratt's eyes look unfocused and terrified and he doubts the man can actually hear him.

At least, they are safe for now. Alive, despite what just happened. It's the best they could hope for in a situation like this. There's not much they can do, just wait until the radiation die down before they could go outside and hope something of the world they knew was left behind after all this. He hopes Dutch has enough supplies for unexpected addition to his bunker, he probably didn't expect so many visitors during his stay here.

They really shouldn't have brought Joseph along.


	2. Chapter 2

They hold a meeting few hours later. Everyone, except Joseph, who was locked in the one of the rooms at the back of the bunker. Dutch leaves them to decide what to do with him, they dragged him here, they welcome to take care of him however they wish.

They agree to some rules, nothing too unreasonable. The food is rationed from the day one, they don’t have much and who knows when they can finally go outside. Dutch claims his bedroom to himself, anything else they are welcome to use. They share a drink to the memory of the world they once knew and check equipment and supplies, making sure everything in place and still working properly. Rook feels his heart still hammering in his chest much faster than usual, but his hands are steady as he looks at the monitors that show only static. Outside world might not even exist anymore.

The dinner is sparse and when Dutch fills a plate for their “guest”, Hudson grumbles: “We shouldn’t waste food on him”.

“If you want him dead, shoot him, but I won’t let the man starve”, frowns Whitehorse disapprovingly. “You are better than that”.

She looks away, not in the mood to argue and Earl turns to the deputy who seems to handle the situation better than the rest: “Take him the food, Rook”, orders he. Rook wants to protest, he really rather not deal with Joseph, he had enough of the Seeds to last a lifetime, but they can’t really send Pratt there. In fact, it’s probably better to keep him away from the man for a while, considering the condition he's in.

Rook tenses when he comes up to the door, not knowing what to expect. They left Joseph in the handcuffs and even if he’s managed to get free, he hopes he’s not stupid enough to attack. He has nowhere to run and won’t be able to take them all down. To his relief, the room still looks the same, Joseph is praying, sitting on the edge of the coat. His face still covered in blood, dirt, and grime as he looks up at him, but there’s no malice in his eyes. Joseph thanks him for the food, seemingly looking content with the situation he’s in. He’ll never understand this man, Eden Gate might’ve not fallen if Joseph killed him, yet every time they ran into each other, he let him walk away. He still can’t really understand why. What’s so special about him, anyway?


	3. Chapter 3

Next day, it’s Hudson turn to take care of their prisoner, but when she storms back, Rook notices her knuckles look bruised. She doesn’t say anything, going back to her own business, as the sheriff shoots him a look. Rook thinks he knows who would be stuck on Joseph’s duty from now on.

When he brings Joseph his dinner, he finds his nose is swollen, and there’s a bit of dried blood on his cheek, which Joseph seemed to miss. There is no mirror in his room, after all. Thankfully, he’s not angry, deep inside Rook can admit he’s glad they stuck with Joseph and not either of his brothers. John would’ve driven him mad by now. Joseph serene and thoughtful, as always, as he allows Rook to clean up his face and manages to pull him into conversation, that to Rook’s surprise, doesn’t lead to the argument.

Somehow, he’s easy to be around, maybe because he doesn’t seem to be scared or angered by their situation. Joseph seemed like he always knew what would happen. Rook doesn’t want to think about the vision he saw just a few weeks before, doesn’t want to even contemplate what it meant.

Rook stops minding his duties as a caretaker after a while, at least it occupies his time while they stuck here. Joseph can be an interesting to talk to, those times when he gets him talking about anything else besides his crazy religion, at least. He can understand why people were drawn to him, feels almost hypnotized by his speeches himself from time to time.

He tries to find something to occupy himself, Rook never had so much free time before and has no idea what to do with it. He goes through the small collection of books, reading under the dim light that makes his eyes hurt, then plays cards with the others, but they too good at poker and he was never much of a player. Losing every second game becomes stale pretty soon.

Hudson going a bit stir crazy too, she was never one to sit still. Pratt still jumpy and keeps mumbling to himself, he tries to help, but he really not much of a therapist. At least, the sheriff and Dutch manage to get along, telling each other stories about the better days, he listens in sometimes, wondering if he ever gets the chance to live his own stories someday.

Time crawls too slow, few months feel like years, his days turn into routine, the usual chores around the bunker, cleaning, checking the equipment, taking care of Joseph. He’s starting to think they just wasting time keeping him locked up. Joseph never tries to escape or hurt anyone, never really demands anything, except asking for pen and paper to write his new book. He gets so consumed by his new idea, writing day and night, sometimes forgetting to eat. The room fills with pages stuck on every available surface, from time to time, Rook reads few passages out of boredom. He was never much for religion, but here and there he finds something that makes a lot of sense. He doesn’t mention it to the others, though, Hudson would flip out, she already notes they becoming too close.

When Rook gets sick and spends almost a week in bed, she keeps grumbling that Joseph asks about him every time she comes up to bring him food. The thought amuses him somewhat, as he shivers in his bed, hot and cold at the same time. On the day when he finally feels better enough to walk around, he pops up to say hello just after breakfast and gets greeted by the warm smile. He leans in almost automatically when Joseph brings their foreheads together, mumbling: “I knew God will not take you away from me”. The gesture almost touching, until he feels a pit inside his stomach and thought of “what the hell am I doing?” ringing in his head.


End file.
